Iceland — Geothermal Civilization & the Rewilding of a Denuded Land

Iceland's environmental credentials begin with energy: over 99% of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources (approximately 80% hydropower, 20% geothermal), and 90% of its homes and buildings are heated by direct geothermal piping — making Iceland's carbon footprint per unit of comfort among the lowest of any cold-climate nation on earth. Tourism infrastructure follows this logic: the new Highland Baths and Árböðin geothermal spa at Laugarás have been designed with advanced water management systems, smart energy monitoring, and architectural integration into the geothermal landscape rather than over it. But Iceland's most interesting regenerative story is its land: when Norse settlers arrived in the 9th century, Iceland was 25–40% forested. By the 20th century, centuries of sheep grazing and peat cutting had reduced forest cover to under 1.5% and created some of the most severe soil erosion in Europe — in a country with no conventional agricultural pressure. The Icelandic Soil Conservation Service has been fighting this erosion since 1907, but citizen and tourist participation through programs like Landvernd's CARE (Caring and Restoring Ecosystems) initiative has accelerated the effort. CARE runs volunteer soil restoration and land revegetation sessions open to international visitors throughout the season — giving travelers the opportunity to physically rebuild Iceland's degraded lava field soils and plant native birch and willow seedlings. Groups from universities and environmental organizations worldwide participate, with sessions structured to combine restoration work with ecological education about the soil systems being repaired. It is arguably the most tangible hands-on restoration experience available anywhere in Europe. For standard visitors, Iceland's geothermal infrastructure makes it possible to travel with a remarkably low energy footprint: geothermal spas, heated swimming pools in every town, and the country's expanding EV charging network (the Ring Road is now fully EV-accessible) combine to create a travel experience where sustainability is ambient, not performative.